| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision |
| 2000_concepts:0600_data_retrieval:0400_form_driven_queries [2022/08/21 22:56] – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation administrator | 2000_concepts:0600_data_retrieval:0400_form_driven_queries [2026/08/13 00:55] (current) – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation localdev |
|---|
| [<10>] | {{tag>data data_retrieval query search form user_interface ui concepts operators}}[<10>] |
| ====== Searching for Data using Forms ====== | ====== Searching for Data using Forms ====== |
| |
| Another way of retrieving data in the Operation Mode is using forms to search for business objects (see [[:1300_user_guide|[[#HelpUsingForms|Business Object Forms]]). The idea is that the user is presented with a blank form of a business object. She can enter values in any field of the form, and when the form is submitted //**Aware IM**// will search for instances of this business object using the entered data. To do this //**Aware IM**// automatically builds and runs a query. When building a query //**Aware IM **//constructs a query condition for every value entered by a user and connects them using the ''AND'' operator. Blank fields are ignored. | Another way of retrieving data in the Operation Mode is using forms to search for business objects (see [[2000_concepts:0400_data_entry_and_editing:0100_forms|Business Object Forms]]). The idea is that the user is presented with a blank form of a business object. She can enter values in any field of the form, and when the form is submitted //**AwareIM**// will search for instances of this business object using the entered data. To do this //**AwareIM**// automatically builds and runs a query. When building a query //**AwareIM**// constructs a query condition for every value entered by a user and connects them using the ''AND'' operator. Blank fields are ignored. |
| |
| For example, let’s say we have a ''Customer'' business object with the following attributes: ''FirstName'', ''LastName'', ''DOB'', ''Address'' and ''TelephoneNo''. If the user enters "John" in the ''FirstName'' field of the form and "Smith" in the ''LastName'' field //**Aware IM **//will find all customers with the first name “John” and the last name “Smith”. | For example, let's say we have a ''Customer'' business object with the following attributes: ''FirstName'', ''LastName'', ''DOB'', ''Address'' and ''TelephoneNo''. If the user enters "John" in the ''FirstName'' field of the form and "Smith" in the ''LastName'' field //**AwareIM**// will find all customers with the first name "John" and the last name "Smith". |
| |
| It is also possible for a more advanced user to enter not only simple values into the fields of a form but also expressions. The following table lists all possible keywords that can be entered into a field: | It is also possible for a more advanced user to enter not only simple values into the fields of a form but also expressions. The following table lists all possible keywords that can be entered into a field: |
| |
| ^Keyword ^Aware IM search behaviour^ | ^Keyword ^AwareIM search behaviour^ |
| |Literal value (string, number, date, timestamp)|For Plain Text attributes //**Aware IM**// will search for objects the attribute values of which contain the specified value; for all other attribute types – that are equal to the specified value| | |Literal value (string, number, date, timestamp)|For Plain Text attributes //**AwareIM**// will search for objects the attribute values of which contain the specified value; for all other attribute types – that are equal to the specified value| |
| |''<''|All objects with attribute values less than the specified value, for example: ''<5''| | |''<''|All objects with attribute values less than the specified value, for example: ''<5''| |
| |''>''|All objects with attribute values greater than the specified value, for example: ''>5''| | |''>''|All objects with attribute values greater than the specified value, for example: ''>5''| |
| |''>=''|All objects with attribute values greater or equal than the specified value, for example: ''>=5''| | |''>=''|All objects with attribute values greater or equal than the specified value, for example: ''>=5''| |
| |''<>''|All objects with attribute values not equal to the specified value, for example: ''<>5''| | |''<>''|All objects with attribute values not equal to the specified value, for example: ''<>5''| |
| |''=''|All objects with attribute values equal to the specified value, for example: ''=’John Smith%%’%%''| | |''=''|All objects with attribute values equal to the specified value, for example: ''='John Smith%%'%%''| |
| |''CONTAINS''|All objects with attribute values that contain the specified value, for example: ''CONTAINS 25''| | |''CONTAINS''|All objects with attribute values that contain the specified value, for example: ''CONTAINS 25''| |
| |''STARTSWITH''|All objects with attribute values that starts with the specified value, for example: ''STARTSWITH ‘John%%'%%''| | |''STARTSWITH''|All objects with attribute values that starts with the specified value, for example: ''STARTSWITH 'John%%'%%''| |
| |''ENDSWITH''|All objects with attribute values that ends with the specified value, for example: ''ENDSWITH 'ith%%'%%''| | |''ENDSWITH''|All objects with attribute values that ends with the specified value, for example: ''ENDSWITH 'ith%%'%%''| |
| |''BETWEEN'', ''AND''|All objects with attribute values that are in the specified range, for example ''BETWEEN 5 AND 10''| | |''BETWEEN'', ''AND''|All objects with attribute values that are in the specified range, for example ''BETWEEN 5 AND 10''| |
| |''OR''|Either of the conditions is included, for example ''<5 OR >20''| | |''OR''|Either of the conditions is included, for example ''<5 OR >20''| |
| |
| <note>If the user enters data into the field of a [[:1300_user_guide|[[#HelpUsingReferenceAttributes|reference attribute]]]] //**Aware IM**// will search through the related instances.</note> | <callout type="primary" icon="true" title="note"> If the user enters data into the field of a [[2000_concepts:0200_basics:0400_reference_attributes|reference attribute]] //**AwareIM**// will search through the related instances.</callout> |
| |
| To configure an operation that will invoke a search using forms as explained above the configurator has to tick the “Using form” checkbox on the query property editor – see [[:1300_user_guide|[[#HelpQueries|Adding/Editing Queries]]]]. | To configure an operation that will invoke a search using forms as explained above the configurator has to tick the “Using form” checkbox on the query property editor – see [[2500_config_apps:1100_add_edit_queries|Adding/Editing Queries]]. |
| |
| <note>When you use form-based queries it is also possible to specify query conditions when defining a query. These conditions will be used as //extra// conditions and will be automatically added to the query after the user enters data into the query form.</note> | <callout type="primary" icon="true" title="note"> When you use form-based queries it is also possible to specify query conditions when defining a query. These conditions will be used as //extra// conditions and will be automatically added to the query after the user enters data into the query form.</callout> |
| |
| Advantages and disadvantages of using form-based search versus defining queries that require user input. | Advantages and disadvantages of using form-based search versus defining queries that require user input. |
| |
| If you want users to be able to enter their search criteria dynamically at run time, you have two configuration options at your disposal – configure [[2000_concepts:0600_data_retrieval:0110_queries_user_input|queries requiring user input]] or using [[#HelpUsingFormBasedSearch|business object forms to search for data]]. Which one is better? There are advantages and disadvantages of using either method: | If you want users to be able to enter their search criteria dynamically at run time, you have two configuration options at your disposal – configure [[2000_concepts:0600_data_retrieval:0110_queries_user_input|queries requiring user input]] or using business object forms to search for data. Which one is better? There are advantages and disadvantages of using either method: |
| |
| * Using forms often requires less configuration effort, as you don’t need to configure a query (in some cases, however, you may want to configure a special form) | * Using forms often requires less configuration effort, as you don't need to configure a query (in some cases, however, you may want to configure a special form) |
| * Using forms may be more flexible as it offers a large number of attributes to the user to search by. However, it may be confusing to some users as some of the attributes may not be relevant to a particular search. | * Using forms may be more flexible as it offers a large number of attributes to the user to search by. However, it may be confusing to some users as some of the attributes may not be relevant to a particular search. |
| * Forms offers the power of expressions to advanced users, however, for users who do not want or cannot use expressions it is better to offer a simple way of entering a value only. | * Forms offers the power of expressions to advanced users, however, for users who do not want or cannot use expressions it is better to offer a simple way of entering a value only. |